Atalanta reportedly asked Cristian Romero not to play Argentina quarter final game

By
Roy Nemer
-
42

Atalanta have reportedly asked Cristian Romero not to play in Argentina’s quarter final game.

Per several reports coming out of Argentina, Cristian Romero’s club Atalanta have contacted the player asking him not to take part in the quarter final match on Saturday. Romero is not yet fully fit and Atalanta don’t want him to risk the injury and potentially aggrevate it.

As we reported a few days ago, should Romero not be fit enough to start the match, it would be Pezzella who would replace him in the back line. However, per the reports, Romero wants to play the quarter final match on Saturday.

This would not be the first time an Argentine has received a player during a tournament from his club asking him not to play. Angel Di Maria infamously received a letter from Real Madrid prior to the final of the 2014 World Cup. They asked Di Maria not to play and reportedly even threatened legal action. 

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42 Comments

  1. Why this Real Madrid – Di maria wc2014 comes again !
    Its frustrating when losing strong & reliable defender at this time when playing with an athletic intense team like Ecuador

  3. This direct penalty after 90 mins is really bad for us.
    Except Brazil, everyone will try to drag the game into penalties, where they have their best probability to win the match against us.
    It’s a disadvantage

  5. We need Romero even if he’s only half way fit he is still out best defender…

    A lot of you guys see Ecuador as an easy Opponent… They are pretty good right now we need to be very careful… I’m really hoping the best for Argentina… We need and deserve that 🏆

    All the talents we have, we are waiting way too long for a Trophy

    • No, if he’s not fit its not worth risking him against a team that isn’t going to attack like crazy. Maybe last 20 minutes to get him his form going again. Rather wait for Colombia (i think theyll beat Uruguay) and Brazil.

    • I would be happy if Romero is fit enough to play but if he is not fit enough to play, I’d say rest him because the semi final match is only 72 hours after the quarter final. We will need Romero for sure against Muriel/Zapata or Cavani/Suarez.

  6. There is a saying in Argentina…. “Football is like woman…. Talk to me when you put it in because nothing else matters!!!”

    Nico Gonzalez has potential but Papu is putting it in…. Balls deep as well (golazos)
    Enough said

  7. Juan Musso to Atlanta BC official ! Good move for him and also for Argentina. He should be given a game in one of the qualifiers. Better than Armani at this point, surely.

    • Good move, especially because Romero is there. But I share the sentiment with Chori, even though both him and De Paul deserved big moves it is a little sad to see the Argentinian Udinese nearly gone. They also may get relegated. Hope they buy other Argentinians and stay up. Even if they get relegated next season Molina could get a better move if he keeps on performing well.

  8. Nico is very talented I like him I appreciate scaloni for believing in him when everyone was complaining but at this moment papu is way ahead of nico nico is very promising papu is world class he is one of the best number 10 in the world and is motivated if some are worried about his age for now scaloni should stick with papu.i have to be honest I am starting to believe in scaloni if we find one or two midfielders I think this team will turn into one of the best teams in the world I really like varela,almendra,enzo Fernandez and payero and I think lo celso and Palacios will become world class

    • We need Erik Lamela’s world-class ability in the midfield (he’s not world-class because that requires consistency, but he has world-class skills).

      Lamela has speed, height, passing ability, dribbling technique, and is tenacious in recovering the ball. Performs well for Argentina in the limited minutes he has been given. Last game in our shirt he assisted Icardi (Icardi’s 1st and only goal for Argentina) then was taken off at half-time.

      His flaws: yellow card-prone, injury-prone, at times holds the ball too long (in Tottenham).

      • Lamela is a complete midfielder.. he can attack, create , score and defend but sadly he can’t keep himself fit. He never lasts more than 3 games in a row which is a huge liability. Lanzini and Lamela should not be picked unless they improve their fitness. Locelso and Palacios also seems to be extremely injury prone.

  9. Alfaro’s Ecuador is not an attacking team, they are likely to sit back and try to hit us on the counter. With that in mind, Papu should be preferred to Nico Gonzales, to unlock the Ecuadorian defense. Papu is a better finisher (at least currently). Nico is probably better against more aggressive, stronger teams, since he’s younger, would press better and for longer periods of time and his defensive contribution is overall better than Papu’s. Heck, Scaloni even played him as a LB once.

    • Honestly that is very good point
      Nico gonzalez is more suited the teams come to attack like Brazil not team who prepare to set back.
      It’s logic to start both GLC and papa since they can open tie space with thier playmaking.

    • I think Ecuador is more attacking than people give them credit for. Last game against them they attacked a decent amount and also in the second half against Brazil. I think they will be more open. But I don’t watch every game of theirs so we will see. In their last six games they were only out possessed twice by Brazil. Either way with the penalty rule they may try to hold out a result

    • excellent points.

      I’m a bit torn with the difference though. In some ways, i’d rather have Papu maintain possession via dribbling, shielding, passing, etc than Nico simply chasing after the ball. Rather control the game which Papu is EXCELLENT that rely on aggressive forwards defending. But of course these general preferences don’t mean much…..Scaloni has pick whatever is suitable for that moment.

  10. Papu will surely start. 2 goals in 2 games is top class also he won penalty. Papu Gomez knows how to find spaces and Messi know how to provide passes in those spaces this creativity will kill any defence.

  12. Its good not to risk Romero if injured and not 100%. Other CB pezzela and otamandi should perform now… And if we won and loose Romero for SEMIFINAL AND FINAL. IT WILL BE HUGE LOOSE ..

  13. Can anyone tell me if Paredes+Guido ever performed well together? I can’t think of any, and frankly, i dislike the combo because Paredes doesn’t drive forward enough.

    If GLC is fit, he should absolutely start. Ecuador will have tough time chasing the ball with Gomez, GLC, Messi, RDP on the pitch together. I guess that’s also a contradictory position because Paredes is much better in possession but Guido has earned it for now. Just look at his heat map, he’s all over the place. Impressive compared to Paredes.

    Gomez over Nico is a no brainer. I get that he’s young and full of energy but that doesn’t warrant starting over Baila Como el Papu. I mean give me break, he’s on fire right now. To Tony Montanas point, idiotic of Scaloni to not start Papu.

    Hope he deploys the attacking kitchen sink. Try to score 2 in the 1st 13.5 minutes 😉 and if the defense is exposed, Scaloni can always do what Scaloni does and *try to bunker down.

    • No they didn’t play well together and I think they will never play well together because they are each other position all the time I mean They occupied pretty much same position it will be wast one space if two of them start together. One of them must be drop it make the team way too slow.

      # I don’t care who plays as long as Argentina win.

    • Guido also hit a couple of impressive long, accurate, diagonal passes that we normally expect from Paredes. I did not know that he had it in him. If he can also pass well, then Paredes should only play as a CM or not at all. Still, I would much rather prefer a fully fit Lo Celso who is way more dynamic than Paredes.

      • Guido Rodriguez has bit of everything
        He is a lot better than what a lot of people may think. I watched him through last season and I was very impressed.

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